


devil got dismayed

by simulacraryn



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Angst, Eventual Sex, F/M, Gen, Lust, Platonic Romance, Post-Break Up, Writing Prompt, former 2xH, friendships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-15 10:14:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29682417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simulacraryn/pseuds/simulacraryn
Summary: [Writing Prompt] - Over the years, Duo and Dorothy built a relationship based on mutual interests. On a scheduled encounter, Duo and Dorothy get into discussing the nature of their lives.
Relationships: Dorothy Catalonia/Duo Maxwell
Comments: 12
Kudos: 16
Collections: Bringin' Gundam Wing Back





	1. i can hear the sirens

**Author's Note:**

  * For [a_special_unicorn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_special_unicorn/gifts).



> The prompt was "Am I your lockscreen?" | "You weren't supposed to see that" and ASU sent it to me by saying Dorothy and anyone. So here it is, what was supposed to be a drabble became a one shot. Oops.

When did they begin actually conversing about something that wasn’t politics or war related, neither could tell. In fact, Duo couldn’t quite recall just _how_ he had ended befriending Treize’s weird cousin with the funky eyebrows. It hadn’t been during the war, she was more of Quatre’s spite-filled opposite. Unlike the others who had some sort of semblance of knowing Dorothy, Duo had been exposed to her via the virtue of Dorothy and Heero engaging in a verbal spar that nearly turned physical.

It’d been Duo who aided Relena in separating the two, with him actually having to address Dorothy while Relena caught Heero’s attention at the time of the argument. He’d never seen anyone get under his friend’s skin the way the woman had. It was a commendable feat and a scary one all the same. It was hard to recall how, but he found himself actually conversing with Dorothy.

Giving her as good as she gave, which presented a surprise to the combative woman. Thus on and off since AC 197, Duo maintained some sort of connection with Dorothy. Messages were exchanged and it became an easy friendship. Granted, he was leagues below her station, considering her position in the grand scheme of things so Duo knew better than to push his luck.

It’d been easier to fall into routine with Hilde, while lying to himself in the way she also lied to him about being happy with him. Then again, they had gone about building a relationship in every which wrong way possible because of the war. Now, as adults both Hilde and Duo were keenly aware just how different their needs were but too chicken to pull the plug on their dying relationship.

So now, he was sitting in some low rung dive in L1-627CV, one of the newer colonies being built in the cluster. There was still plenty of construction, but he knew Dorothy was in town and sent her a message to get together for drinks at one of his favorite dives. Something about a new business venture, he really hadn’t paid attention to the communication considering he’d been drinking. Pulling out the stool, Duo sat, his braid swinging behind him. - “I’ll take your nastiest beer.” - He called the bartender, knowing there was probably some no name beer he would hate himself for drinking the awful piss water.

While the barkeep filled the stein, Duo looked at his phone. His eyes briefly settling on the group picture they’d taken last spring, during Cathy’s babyshower. Duo had found himself holding Hilde on his right side, the two pressed up in some sort of half-embrace. However at his left, stood Dorothy and his arm was wrapped around her shoulders. He hadn’t known what possessed him to show Dorothy affection. Maybe it’d been the fact that only Relena and Noin ever showed Dorothy some sort of emotion, the rest always viewing her as an outlier.

But he truly had no issue with her and always seemed to enjoy her conversations.

The beer was placed in front of Duo and he moved a free hand to grab it, when someone placed a hand on his shoulder and a playful voice spoke in his ear: 

“Am I your lockscreen?”

Duo’s face blanched at Dorothy’s words, whipping his head around to find her moving her hand off his shoulder and taking the seat next to him. She waved over the barkeep whilst Duo, still startled, responded: “You weren’t supposed to see that.” 

“Then what was I seeing, hm?” - She bantered, ordering herself a straight whiskey, leaning into her elbow - shooting Duo a knowing look. Letting his phone rest on the bar, Duo’s hand flew to the back of his head as his opposing hand raised the beer to his lips. He contemplated what to say next, knowing everything was a gameplay with Dorothy. - “A photo we all took as a group last year.”

“You could have done what the others have and crop me out of it.” 

“Now that would be a dick move, Doro.” - Duo offered her a grin, setting down the disgusting beer he’d opted to torture himself with. - “How long are you in this place for?”

“Few more days, then I have to head over to oversee the progress on rebuilding L5. It’s been a downright nightmare, but we do have people to populate the colony. According to the census, we’ll have a birth boom incoming in the next few years, which means by the time the economy is stabilized in L5, we’ll have plenty of citizens to occupy it.” - Leave it to Dorothy to see things in accordance to money and future economics, of course. Stretching out in a cat-like fashion, Duo hopped off the stool and placed down money to cover for his and Dorothy’s drinks.

Dorothy in turn, slapped down the gratuity and left her half-finished whiskey (it’d been rot gut and she had self-respect after all) on the bartop. Joining Duo, the two walked out of the dive, seemingly at ease. The colony wasn’t going to have ‘rain’ on the forecast, which meant they could hang out if they so wanted.

“How is Hilde?” - Courtesy, thy name is Dorothy. She really didn’t speak to Duo’s significant other, but it was good form to ask. Even if one didn’t really _care_ about said person. It was the Romefeller way, of course. Duo’s froze in place, not truly knowing how to answer. He’d purposely not made any mentions of Hilde in their correspondence for a reason. It’d taken him a while to accept that things weren’t working out. That he had too many issues and that they had all compacted to the point he didn’t know where to begin unpacking it all. - “She’s...uh…” 

“Trouble in junk yard paradise?” - They continued to trek along the sidewalk, Dorothy’s head turning to briefly glance at Duo. His expression was unreadable, at least to her. - “More like I need to find a new place to live at the end of the month. Figured I’d throw my shit in storage and go with Howard for a while to work.” 

Dorothy’s finger toyed with a strand of hair that wouldn’t stay away thanks to the staticky air, a thoughtful expression on her face.

“Or, hear me out, you could come work on the L5 project for a while. Gives you time away and the project is going to at least take another year and a half. Lodgings provided by the company, pay is pretty competitive and you could even save your money to do whatever you’d like after this is over with.” - It was a good pitch, right?

Duo’s eyebrow lifted as they rounded the corner.

“What do you want, Doro?”

“Me? Nothing.” - She played along, a smirk curving her lips. - “Maybe a favor down the road?”

“Oh no you fucking don’t, Doro. Owing you a favor is basically wondering who you’ll have me kill down the road.” 

Dorothy laughed, her hand coming to rest on Duo’s wrist. - “Why do you all assume all I want to see is blood splattered. I am so disappointed, Duo, that you think so low of me.” - Her tone is mocking, a spark to her eyes as they met with his. - “Maybe what I need isn’t quite so life or death and more of a casual nature. Do you think that I am capable of using you heartlessly?” 

He should have felt some shame in saying what he’d said, but he wasn’t lying when it came to Dorothy Catalonia’s tendencies. Tigers did not change their stripes in the way they operated and it showed in the way Doro held herself to the world. From the outside looking in, Duo found himself clashing with her while still respecting her _truth_ wasn’t his reality. He fought to survive in the streets, where she had to fight to survive an elitist dog eat dog world. Whereas Relena was privileged to have been served with a spoonful of kindness in her upbringing. Or in the case of Quatre, he forged his own path while keeping true to himself, Dorothy didn’t seem to have those options. 

In fact, she’d been surprised when Duo had declined a job with Preventers and had returned to the colonies as soon as he could. Looking for a deeper meaning to Dorothy’s words, Duo blinked briefly. It had certainly been a blink and you missed it moment, the loneliness in her eyes was often well masked. 

“Doro,” - He began, trailing off momentarily while searching for the words. - “Tell me what you _want_.” 

“Don’t make me do this, this is embarrassing as it is, Duo.” - If this had been any other woman, he would have assumed this statement was a whine. But from Doro? It was steely resolve and _pride_. She’d grit her teeth when speaking those words and Duo stopped, turning to face her. Dorothy came to a standstill, bringing herself to face him, spine ramrod straight and shoulders lifted with grace.

She would never openly admit to being alone, or lonely for that fact. Nor would Duo force her confession, so wordlessly, he took both her hands in his. - “I won’t make you say the words. Not if you don’t want to. But let me guess, are you as lonely as I am?”

Dorothy Catalonia was not a woman who cried with ease. She was built with resolve and layers of protecting her own heart. Duo could agree that everyone handled loss differently, after all, he lost everything that he once held dear. They were kindred spirits, carrying their guilt in different ways. Duo carried his by embracing his curse to be the God of Death to those around him. Dorothy wore hers like iron chains, tethering her soul to the graves of those she loved the most. 

His reverie is interrupted by the impact of Dorothy’s hand across his face, making Duo wince. It wasn’t the first time he’d struck a chord within Dorothy, but never had she struck him. 

“I suppose I-” 

“How dare you,” - She spat out, anger rising in her tone - “You know nothing about what I feel.” 

“If I didn’t, you wouldn’t have reacted like you just did, Doro.” - He is calm, despite the sting to his face. Dorothy didn’t move, her breathing becoming shallow as a result of the underlying anxiety that had become a part of her life since ZERO. Damn that fucking system, Duo thought to himself. 

“ZERO was right about you,” - She carried on, her tone less malicious than it had been before. This prompted confusion for Duo, who unlike Quatre, Zechs or Heero, had not “mastered” the dangerous system. Truth be told, they were all exposed without true knowledge or understanding of the fucking thing. - “Yeah? What did that menace show you about me?” 

“In one of my futures, you would have been the perfect husband for me. You would have called out my failings and made me strive for better. But the cost, the cost would have been too great.” 

“What?” 

“I couldn’t pursue a future that I wasn’t certain about. I didn’t know at the time what it meant and now I do…” - He was curious, but if Dorothy wasn’t willing to tell him, then he wouldn’t know. She kept secrets close to her heart, especially after the Heero incident. - “Doro, you don’t have to tell me.” 

Though he did wish she would. 

“Just indulge me and join me on L5.” - She swept everything under the rug, incapable of opening herself to speaking the truth. Duo took it for what it was, Dorothy needing to protect herself from the world that had once torn her apart. If anyone understood it, it would be him, right?

“I’ll think about it.” - He murmurs, prompting a knowing smirk from Dorothy. She would have _this_ even if it meant going their separate ways. The future depended on them never becoming more than they were.


	2. turns you into stone

Days passed since Dorothy’s proposition for Duo to join her out in L5. Most of his stuff had been moved to storage and all he had left at Hilde’s were a few meagre things, the ones he could stuff into a knapsack and trot off with. The tensions rose high as Hilde and Duo continued to argue about things left and right. It reached a head when it was time for him to depart for L5. With his bag at his back, Duo took one last look around, wondering just why it's all gone wrong. Hilde stood, with her shoulder against the door frame to what had been their bedroom, anger flashing at her eye.

“I don’t get it, Duo.” - Hilde’s voice is soft, he can’t tell if it’s heartbreak or if it’s annoyance at him packing and leaving _her_ after they’d broken up. But he couldn’t stay, he shouldn’t stay. Hilde should be able to move on to whatever she’d like and he couldn’t hinder that by staying. No matter how much she insisted that it could work out, he couldn’t visualize it. It wasn’t that _he_ was jealous by nature, but he knew other assholes would be. The last thing he needed was to stumble into an argument about how the fuck could two exes still live together without bullshit.

He would be forced to crack someone’s head open if they so much as disrespected her. Sure, that being if he could even _get_ to them by the time Hilde was done. - “Hilde, let it go.” - He is quick to catch her before she continues on the tangent. Duo reached for the door, grabbing on to the door knob as Hilde called out to him:

“You know what Duo, this is just what you always do: run and hide when the shit gets tough!”

“Well babe, I hate to break it to you, I never lied to ya about who I am.” - He swings around, watching as she leaned against the couch, arms folded over her chest. - “What did you expect me to do, stay and hold you back from finding happiness?”

“I expected you to listen to me and try to make this work out!” - She hollered back, mixed emotions in her words. Duo shook his head, he was about to speak when Hilde beat him to the punch: “You know what, forget it. You’re a fucking asshole, Duo.” 

That much wasn’t a lie, he admits to himself inwardly: he was an asshole with commitment issues and enough trauma to make a therapist need a therapist for themselves. But that was just it, though, he never denied his nature. That was the problem: everyone thought they were capable of getting him to adjust and pass as “normal”, whatever the fuck that even meant. He’d tried warning Hilde from the start, but does anyone ever listen?

He doesn’t want to tell her this, opting instead for a moment to tilt his head in her direction. - “You’re right.” 

Hilde’s jaw slacked, her shoulders were tense and she was coiled to fire back. The words never escaped her, not when Duo finally made his way out of the door. Her eyes moved to the table next to the door, where he’d left his keys - signifying the _end_ of things. Hilde pushed herself to make her way to the side table and take his keys. She clutched them in one hand, the door serving as a barrier in the hopes she didn’t kick open the door and followed him.Normally she wouldn’t worry, Duo would have found his way back to their home. But this time, there was a finality to it that bothered Hilde. Turning around, her back against the door and with the keys clutched tight to her chest, she heaved in. 

It wasn’t her job to fix it, she knew it.

She wasn’t trying to fix him, but Duo never seemed to understand that all Hilde was trying to do was show him life could be different. 

“Why did you have to be such a fucking asshole?” - She asks the air, pushing her body away from the door. Time to store away everything that reminded her of Duo, pictures and silly knick knacks that she didn’t have the heart to pitch in the rubbish bin. - “Why did I push you away, too?”

No, Hilde thinks to herself.

“Bullshit. You pushed yourself away because everything you touch, you kill according to your martyr speech. And maybe you do, Duo, but it’s not my job to fix you - you need to be willing to learn living with your past in order to forge a future.” - She monologues to the air, her chest heavy when she collapses on the couch. The things he wouldn’t let her say because he ran like a coward, will be said even if it’s to just herself.

Hilde’s head hits the cushion as she toes off her shoes, angrily huffing as she stared towards the ceiling. - “I hope for your sake you can find what you need…”

**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks to ASU for betaing! <3


End file.
